Repurpose>reuse>recycle

terrywerm said:
Cathead, steep drop to the lake??
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Yes, that's it Terry! It is no longer a disadvantage. On the plus side, I have a wind protected and ice protected cove and an excellent southern view.
 
Rebuilding the damper on my Headshok and looking for the handyman way out of a $45 tool. My attempts to use highly modified 90 degree 11" needle nose pliers only served to confirm the factory used too much loctite on the threads. How did this work out for you?

Cannondale headshok castle nut tool from a piece of black pipe I found
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Texas - this was the second time rebuilding the damper (the methods used 1st time are too embarrassing to admit) so I didn't have any problems with loctite, but the tool made opening the damper a breeze. If you promise to send it back (although I hope never to have to use it again :)) I'll pop it in the post. It wasn't hard to make but there are always other things on the list for sure.
 
I'm with you on the embarrassing to admit part; the reassemble of the pin bearings has been a disaster. I ended up buying the tool from a supplier figuring I can always resell when I get a newer bike. I ride 3-4x a week and not having the bike is killing my endorphine rush. When the new bearings make it in, I'll be able move onto round two of getting the shock back in service.

Thanks for the offer to loan the tool out. I would have been happy to pay you for one, but that's gotta be a cardinal sin for a home machinist forum! Not sure I could have handled the ribbing from the others.

mattthemuppet said:
Texas - this was the second time rebuilding the damper (the methods used 1st time are too embarrassing to admit) so I didn't have any problems with loctite, but the tool made opening the damper a breeze. If you promise to send it back (although I hope never to have to use it again :)) I'll pop it in the post. It wasn't hard to make but there are always other things on the list for sure.
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yes, they are truly a royal b!tch to work on, that's for sure. I had to put my fork in the oven to get the air sleeve out (former owner had smashed the valve for some reason) so I went through the bearing nightmare too. I found a tutorial online which showed using a piece of inner tube with the valve to make an inflatable sausage to hold the bearing races in place while the fork was slipped back into the head tube. I broke the end off one of the bearings but it's been fine for the last 6 years.

PM me your address and I'll stick the castle nut tool in the post.

Oh, and make a trough long enough to stick the whole damper in. Fill it with fork oil (I used 5wt motorbike fork oil) and then submerge the damper fully. Move the damping rod back and forth a few times with it submerged and you'll get all the air out of the damper. Might also be worth changing the piston and top cap o-rings while you're in there, mine ate themselves last year hence the 2nd reassembly. Been great since though.
 
mattthemuppet said:
yes, they are truly a royal b!tch to work on, that's for sure. I had to put my fork in the oven to get the air sleeve out (former owner had smashed the valve for some reason) so I went through the bearing nightmare too. I found a tutorial online which showed using a piece of inner tube with the valve to make an inflatable sausage to hold the bearing races in place while the fork was slipped back into the head tube. I broke the end off one of the bearings but it's been fine for the last 6 years.

PM me your address and I'll stick the castle nut tool in the post.

Oh, and make a trough long enough to stick the whole damper in. Fill it with fork oil (I used 5wt motorbike fork oil) and then submerge the damper fully. Move the damping rod back and forth a few times with it submerged and you'll get all the air out of the damper. Might also be worth changing the piston and top cap o-rings while you're in there, mine ate themselves last year hence the 2nd reassembly. Been great since though.
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Oh, nice idea about submerging the whole unit. Had to buy fork oil from a local motor sports dealer and have enough to rebuild 100 dampers - that container should do well for a total submersion. Already swapped out the seals - one was completely toast - all others were in great shape but were swapped out since I had it torn down.

Read about the inflatable bladder today (after destroying one of the needle carriers) and also to set the pins 11 above and 11 below before sliding the outer race and case back on.

Thanks for the offer on the castle nut tool - since I have one, no need to send one out, but THANKS for the offer!!
 
comment on one ...pieces of railroad track have always been good anvils...now with plasma cutters available, easier than ever to make :>)
 
Used the inflatable sausage method with great success. Had just finished seating the damper with the castle tool (and a nice plastic insert to protect the shaft) when I spotted a tool mark on the damper shaft. The neighbors heard me screaming a block away.

Smoothed it out with my thumb until I didn't feel any edge and put it all back together. A day later it's still holding air and damping/rebounding nicely. I doubt I'll get the 6 years you've gotten though.

mattthemuppet said:
no worries, glad you got it all sorted out :)
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